Private family service held to honor slain academic and writer

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The Gabbard family held a private service on Thursday in Samoa to honor the life of Professor Caroline Sinavaiana Gabbard.

Professor Gabbard, an American Samoan academic and writer was 77 years old when she was murdered at Vaivase-uta, Samoa a month ago.

She was the first Samoan to become a full professor in the United States and would have been 78 years old the next week. 

She is a mother of two children and grandmother to four.  

The media was not allowed to attend the service at Sefo’s Memorial Garden and Crematorium, Tafaigata, Samoa.